Fight or Flight
by Iced Perfection
Summary: Follow the journey of an aspiring Ranger whose mission is to uncover the secrets of Team Galactic's recent endeavors. In doing so, a terrible secret is uncovered that threatens to destroy the world. /I suck at summaries/
1. Unwelcome Surprises

Woo, I'm almost finished with my freshman year of college~! Look how much I've grown, compared to my first fics on this site...such a huge difference. Anyway.

I wrote a story called **Tides of Change** a few years back, and, well, it sucked. But that happens. But I was reading it again, and, as it is one of my most-reviewed stories, I felt like it was a good start and wanted to fix a few things. A lot, actually. So that's what I did...to procrastinate writing my other papers and studying for finals....

Anyway, I hope you all like this. I feel that I had a good start and didn't know where I was going with it but can plan out better this time. However, I do still need comments and criticism to keep it going! Any such help would be appreciated. :)

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**Episode One: Unwelcome Surprises

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**

"Mother, it's my birthday. You know what I'm asking for, don't you?" I poked at the macadamia nut pancakes my mother had made—my favorite, for my birthday. Another year older and I was still lacking the one thing that would make me, as so many described it, an adult. (I had my doubts about that last bit, but having my own Pokemon would certainly mean they recognized me as an older, mature person. At least I hoped they would.)

"Kita…" My father, Aji, gave me a stern look from over the top of his newspaper, a look I'd grown accustomed to after eighteen years of it.

"You promised!" I said in frustration, letting my fork fall, clattering on the smooth stone surface, all the while not bothering to hold my anger back this time. I had a right to a Pokemon, and I was going to get it no matter what.

"Kita, dear, I..." Mother's voice faltered as she shot a pleading glance at my father, who merely shrugged.

"I'm not in this anymore." Just like my father to just completely ignore us, running away when the fight got too much for him to handle. _Coward_.

My mother sighed. "Kita, Aunt Adiane sent me a message last week…She said that if your father and I thought you were ready this time then she would find you a Pokemon suitable for your personality." My eyes lit up at the mere mention of my favorite aunt.

Aunt Adiane was all about inner meaning. She had always believed in matching trainers to Pokemon that fit their personality, or something like that. Cute Pokemon like Skitty and Igglybuff needed to match cute trainers; Staryu and Corsola were matched with swimmers; rock-types were often paired with "manly, buff men" as Aunt Adiane likes to call them. _(Hehe. That last one always made me giggle.) _Of course, this wasn't always the case. But when she had a say in it, things were her way or not at all.

"Did she tell you what she'd send—?"

Holding up her hand, my mother cut me off before I exploded into questions. "She's been keeping an extra for you down at the labs—you remember Professor Ivy, don't you?—and says that ever since she found it she's been dying to send it to you."

"But we wanted you to wait, Kita. You're old enough now, but I don't think you could've handled it before this. Especially with how you struggle in school…" My dad spoke from behind the newspaper, interjecting his own comments when he saw fit.

"Oh, Dad, you know I don't like school…I don't do well because I don't try." Though I was irritated every time my father brought my grades up, I couldn't get mad now. I was finally going to get to go out and see the world! No longer would I have to stay trapped in this dull little town of Twinleaf. Sure, it had come to a small bit of fame from Hikari and Koki's adventures and discoveries recently, as well as their struggles against the villainous Team Galactic. But the trends of past Teams led me to believe that this one was no different and would soon be nothing but pages in a textbook, just like Team Rocket of Kanto and Johto.

"Adiane says that she will be in the Center in Hearthome City for a while this morning if we decided to let you go," my father added. "You may go to Sandgem town and ask Rowan to borrow his computer. I don't trust the Center we have here."

I rolled my eyes. My father had always been the paranoid one, holding opposite beliefs in Team Galactic's future fate. Ever since they showed up in the news he's been careful about interceptions. Of course, with a father who works for a prestigious Pokemon lab under one by the name of Professor Rowan, who wouldn't be concerned about security breaches?

I hurriedly shoved the pancakes' remains from my plate into my mouth, hugging my mother, being careful not to burn myself on the stove as she made more pancakes for my siblings, and then my father, whose coffee I nearly overturned as I sprinted toward the door, making sure to grab my styler as I slid into my new rain boots and headed east.

I didn't make it very far on my own before I was intercepted by an unwanted presence.

"Looks like someone's in a good mood this morning."

Typical Chase to ruin the moment.

"What do you want, Chase?" I said lackadaisically, pretending not to care. I didn't want him to bother me, since he'd inevitably want to tag along and give me a hard time for whatever choice my aunt had made for me.

"Oh, I just wanted to show you what my grandfather gave me yesterday—it's taking a liking to me, I think." Chase's face wore an ever-present smirk I had always wanted to smack right off, but this time he was accompanied by a small, orange chick-like Pokemon that I knew by the name of Torchic.

"Congratulations," I said flatly, attempting to feign sincerity. "I happen to be on my way to pick up my own birthday present this morning." _Don't say anything else, don't mention it being a Pokemon…_

"A Pokemon?"

Damn, how did he know?

"So cliché…I'd be willing to bet that it's something like a Bidoof. You've always loved those things." Chase gave a laugh, a sound just as infuriating as his smirk.

"I like Bidoof just as much as I like you, Chase," I replied icily, crossing my arms in apparent victory as his smirk slipped momentarily. "Now if you'll excuse me, I have a date with my present." I gave a curt mock-curtsy as I crossed the border between Twinleaf and the forest just outside Sandgem.

Though it had been a while since I'd traveled the well-worn route blandly named 201—my training as a Ranger had required me to spend most of my days in the Fiore region—I still knew my way to the center's brightly-colored building that I could see from quite a distance away. I broke into a sprint, running past the center's entrance, the doors sliding open in welcome, a cool blast of air bathing my now-sweat-covered body as I continued on to the lab where I would finally receive that which I had waited so long for.

"Professor Rowan?" I called out as I cracked the door open. It was always unlocked, but he liked it if we at least made ourselves known when we entered. (I, along with Koki, Hikari, and several other kids in the area, were frequents at the Professor's lab—it was always such an interesting place to be.) "It's Kita!"

"Ah, Kita, I've been expecting you," Professor Rowan greeted me warmly as he slowly descended the steps leading to the second story of the lab where he and his family resided. His age was catching up to him and I sometimes worried about his continuing to do research and if it was good for his health. "There's a package for you on the desk downstairs."

I gave a small squeak of excitement and rushed toward the desk beside the large, flat-screen machine which was used for many different aspects of the Professor's research, a giant compilation of all Koki and Hikari's predecessors who also held Pokedexes. (They were so lucky…)

A small package lay on the wooden surface, face bare save for a label of my full given name: _"Kita Aysel Rosencrantz". _I grasped the parcel in both hands, material wrinkling in my grip only a minute before I ripped it open.

Inside lay a strangely-colored Pokeball I'd never seen before. While regular Pokeballs were of a red and white color scheme, this one had a teal-colored top and a white underside, the top crisscrossed with a net-like pattern. My eyebrows furrowed in thought as I tried to remember what kind it was.

"It's a Net Ball," Professor Rowan said, coming up behind me.

"Right! It has a better catch rate with Bug and Water Pokemon, right?" Well, if Aunt Adiane had used it correctly, which I assumed she had, then I was looking at a Ball that held a Pokemon of one of two types…that sure narrowed it down.

Professor Rowan nodded. "Go on, open it," he encouraged. "I want to see what's inside as much as you do, I think. You've been waiting long enough for this. You've been in need of a partner Pokemon for some time, have you not?"

"You have no idea," I muttered, pressing the button on the surface to release whatever Pokemon I was destined to receive before setting it back on the table to wait.

There was a click and a flash of pale blue light as a glowing sphere exited the container and materialized before us.

My excitement quickly disappated, however, when I discovered what my favorite aunt had sent me.

"It's worthless," I wailed. "How will I ever be a Ranger with this thing?"

* * *

Kita's name is subject to change. I was rolling a few around before choosing hers, and I was thinking of Dusk as well...first I was going to use Adiane but that just sounds too serious for this fic. :/ Also for her last name I was torn between Ganymede, Lancaster, and Rosencrantz...


	2. No Tradebacks

In case anyone's interested I'll accept character suggestions this time. I didn't for the first draft but will this time if you're reading this far. :P

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**Episode Two: No trade-backs

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**

"MOTHER!" I cried in exasperation. "It's totally worthless! I mean, look at it!" I gestured toward the seizing fish on our kitchen floor, mouth gaping, though it was quite alright for it to be out of water despite its being a fish.

"You're not sending it back, Firefly, and that's final," my father said, using my nickname from when I was a kid in an attempt to quash my argument. "She knows how to pick Pokemon for people, and you're no exception to it. She picked it for a reason. …I'm just not sure what," he said, voice fading.

My mother stepped in. "Honey, please." She turned to me. "Firefly, just…Everything will be alright." She smiled benignly, just like she always did.

_Just like she always did._

But things weren't always like they were. They shouldn't be. I needed strength if I was going to succeed as a Ranger, and a Feebas was far from the epitome of strength…more the antithesis if you were to ask me. But, my mother, as a retired breeder, seemed to see it fit to trust my Aunt Adiane completely, even though I believed she knew nothing of Feebas' weakness.

"One more word and you're grounded, young lady." My father's voice had turned stern. I was treading on thin ice.

"But—" I tried to reason once more, be nice—

"That's it, you're grounded. No more games and definitely no traveling."

I gaped at my father in shock.

"You look kind of like your Feebas when you do that, _Firefly_," I suddenly heard, making my mouth snap shut as I whipped my head around to find the one person I really didn't want to deal with at that moment.

"You…" I whispered angrily, clenching my teeth as I watched Chase waltz right into our kitchen like he was my brother. Which he wasn't. But sometimes he thought he was.

"Hello, Mrs. Rosencrantz. Are those pancakes I smell?" Chase's voice was sickeningly sweet, the tone he reserved for adults and manipulation.

"Yes, well, Kita never finished her breakfast and I had a lot of batter left over, so…Oh, Chase, would you care for any?" My mother always fell for it. She always scolded me when I protested, and I didn't want to push my punishment any further.

"Oh, I'd love some! Mrs. Rosencrantz, you're the best!" He smiled brightly at my mother, a smile that made me sick. I couldn't watch this any more. I stormed up to my room after recalling my Feebas, sparing it and myself from further humiliation.

"So, that Feebas was Adiane's gift? I think it matches Kita _perfectly_!" I heard Chase's voice follow me up the stairs as I began to tear up a bit, biting my lip to keep myself from making any sound of defeat.

_Stop! You're old enough to know things don't have to end like this! You don't have to hang around here! Leave! You've got the Rangers to help you, and you can easily get a mission as an excuse to go somewhere else._

Though the morning was still young, I was prepared to wait it out and leave when my parents had gone to sleep.

Except when I realized I'd probably need something to eat. But I wasn't going to break for that. Never.

So I did what any other rational teenager would do. After packing my backpack with spare clothing and money I climbed outside my window down the trellis below and prayed that the roses were strong enough to support my 5'6'' frame this year.

Oh, did I say rational? I meant irrational. Slip of the tongue…

"I think it's high time I did something to change my destiny," I said aloud, though keeping my voice low enough so it wouldn't be heard by my parents. I descended the lattice frame carefully, thanking whatever higher powers existed that I had done this before and had (unintentionally) made footholds for future use. Present use, rather. Feeling rather dramatic, I jumped down the last foot and a half, wincing when I felt a pain in my knees, which had taken the brunt of the shock. But I quickly straightened up, glancing around to make sure no one had noticed. I smiled when I saw no one was around, heading toward the trees lining the town toward Sandgem Town.

"Kita!" I heard a male voice behind me, deep enough to be my father's, but I wasn't sure. I broke into a sprint, taking the branch that turned slightly south, a longer path but more winding and broken in spots. But I'd had enough time to explore it and even left my own markings to make sure I could find my way home.

Ok, so this wasn't the first time I'd run away from home. But I never went very far, just to Sandgem, where Rowan would inevitably find me and I'd be sent home. Not this time.

I stopped at the stream dividing the two paths, a bridge linking the two together to indicate Sandgem was not too far ahead. Releasing my Feebas into the water, I allowed myself to rest a minute below an elderly white oak before continuing on. I'd need to get farther than Sandgem to escape my parents at this rate.

"Oh!" I suddenly remembered that I still needed to request a mission in case anyone stopped me. I opened my styler and punched a few numbers in to connect me to my superior, Hiro.

"Kita? How's it going?" I was comforted by the familiar accented voice emitting from my styler, coming from a man who had been like a brother to me while I'd trained in Summer City.

"Hey, Hiro, things are pretty good. I was wondering if there were any missions available for me back here in Sinnoh?"

"Kita, you're on vacation. Shouldn't you be celebrating your birthday? Today is your birthday, isn't it? Where are you, anyway?"

I'd forgotten that Hiro was able to see a small bit of what was around me, and it certainly didn't look like home. "Oh, you know, I just went out exploring a bit…things have changed in the years I've been in Fiore for training."

"Did you get your Pokemon yet?"

"Er, well…you see…" I winced, dreading having to show that pathetic excuse of a Pokemon to anyone. "Let's say Aunt Adiane may have made a mistake." I turned my styler around to where the camera was pointed at the stream where my Feebas happily splashed in the cool water, free of its confinements.

"A Feebas! Dude, Kita! You've hit the jackpot! You know how hard it is to find those things? I've been fishing for _ages_ our here for one of those—"

"But they're utterly worthless, Hiro," I sighed. "They're equivalent to a Magikarp."

"Yes, but what do Magikarp evolve into?" Hiro's voice still contained a hint of excitement and jealousy.

I sighed again. "Feebas don't evolve into Garydos," I said flatly.

"No, but they _do_ evolve into Milotic," Hiro said eagerly.

My eyes flew open after I'd only just shut them in frustration. "What?" I looked back over at my Feebas, still splashing. "Milotic come from _Feebas_?" I asked in indignation.

Hiro's tiny image nodded. "Yup. They're really rare in Hoenn and Sinnoh, and even harder to evolve. You're gonna need a ton of Pokeblocks to evolve it, that's the only problem."

I groaned. My hopes were dashed once again. I leaned forward to rest my face on my knees, and I felt like I was going to cry. "But we don't have Pokeblocks in Sinnoh…only in Hoenn."

"You have Poffin, don't you?" My eyes reopened again.

"Poffin?"

"You've been in Sinnoh all these years and don't know what Poffin are?" Hiro said, grinning. "Go to Hearthome and there's a Poffin center there."

"That's the thing, I have no way to really get there. I only have my Feebas with me," I said, grimacing slightly.

"Wait, you only have Feebas? That's dangerous, since it doesn't know any attacks at this point and you're vulnerable to attacks yourself." Hiro was suddenly concerned with my safety, something I'd never thought about before leaving. "Why didn't your parents give you something else til you'd caught others on your own?"

I turned away from the styler, pouting slightly.

"You ran away again, didn't you?" Hiro was slightly incredulous, though expected it of me, like everyone else. "It's your birthday and you received a _very_ nice present—this is how you're repaying your parents?"

"They won't let me return Feebas and get a Pokemon worth raising," I snapped. "I'll be fine on my own. Just give me the stupid mission and I'll get on with it." I didn't want to talk about my mistakes any longer.

Now it was Hiro's turn to sigh. "Alright. Here you go." Hiro's image was replaced with data and statistics, though his voice still came through. "We need several Rangers to go on recon missions throughout the region, particularly in Veilstone City. We need information on this Team Galactic, one whose goals seem particularly evil, more so than Team Rocket, Team Aqua, or Team Magma."

I scanned over the objectives and noted the generous reward at the end of the statement. "I'm game."

"Kita, you know this could be dangerous. It's what's in demand right now, but I don't know if you'll be up for it with such a…limited team." Leave it to Hiro to act like my mother-away-from-home.

"I'll be fine," I replied, wishing he'd stop already. "I'm going to ask Professor Rowan if he's got anything I can borrow for the time being."

"If you think that's the best course of action, of course I trust you, but…"

I heard a rustling in the bushes a ways off, accompanied by a pair of loud voices, one male, the other female.

"Gotta go," I said hurriedly, snapping the styler shut and cramming it into my bag. I stood up and called my Feebas back into its teal-and-white Ball, standing up to see who it was.

From around the corner on the opposite path emerged two people—trainers, I assumed, since both were leading Pokemon. There was a dark-haired girl who looked vaguely familiar to me who led a Prinplup, an evolved Piplup, and the other she was chasing was a boy in a strange-looking outfit that had a Houndour by his side.

"Guess who's going to lose this one," I said, smirking. They hadn't noticed me, so I stood back, content to watch for the time being.

"Bubblebeam!" the girl cried, forcing the boy to face her.

Houndour took a hard hit from the stream of bubbles that it suddenly found facing against.

"Houndour! Use Bite!"

Prinplup didn't seem fazed by Houndour's attack, shaking it off easily. Houndour retreated back to his owner's side for its next order.

"Prinplup, finish it off with Brine!" The girl was elegantly erect where she stood, making no extraneous movements as she fought. Her commands were swift and accurate, and never once did she falter.

The same couldn't be said about the other side, however. The boy was slowly weakening, just like his Pokemon was. The wave of the Brine attack blasted Houndour within milliseconds after the command was given, soaking the fire-dark type in cold, salty water. It was too much for the creature to take, and it collapsed.

Smirking, the girl didn't call her Prinplup back immediately, stepping forward. "You'll hand over that key now, won't you? Be a good boy." She held out her hand in asking for the aforementioned key.

He adamantly shook his head, though he knew he was beat. He turned to run, tripping over both his own feet and a root conveniently placed behind his feet. The girl loomed over him as her smirk began to fade.

"You have til the count of three, or Prinplup has his way with you," she said in a low, icy voice. "One…"

She was going to hurt him?! No way was I going to let that go by and not do anything…that wasn't how Rangers were, no way. This was far from a fair fight. I looked around for something I could use, anything. I noticed a large branch that had fallen off one of the other oaks nearby and brushed off some of the leaves, leaving it largely bare and staff-like. It would have to do for now…I had no Pokemon of my own to defend me, after all.

"Two…" The Prinplup lay ready, bloodthirsty, even, with its fins ready to strike at the word of its master.

"Three!" I cried suddenly, dashing across the stream and shoving the girl aside, knocking her to the ground on top of her Prinplup. "Ready or not, here I come!" _Ok, Kita, you're getting carried away with this…_I had to smile, however, at my…creativity at the time. But the others didn't think it so clever.

"Who are you?" she asked indigenously.

My grip loosened on my makeshift weapon as I gaped in realization. "You—you're—!" Standing before me, in all her icy glory, was the current reigning Champion of Sinnoh (as well as one of my idols), Hikari.


End file.
